Soul Barbs (on hiatus)
by Hebiaczek
Summary: Everybody has a braking point. Can Kaito maintain his cheerful self after he crosses it again? Meanwhile it's been nearly two years since Shinichi disapeared and it's getting harder and harder for Ran to hold on. While the antidote is still out of reach and the Organization is running loose all that Conan can do is get himself distracted with a new mystery. Not a yaoi


Disclaimer: I don't own MK or DC, or any other manga/anime to be exact. I just like to let my imagination run loose.

 **I'm having a hard time lately and most probably before it ends I'm going to have trouble writing anything nice. I've been struggling with the 20'th chapter of F &H for a few days now and somehow can't get it right. I've decided to put my bad mood to some use and thus this story.**

 **Side note: For this story I don't consider movies canon, so Kaito doesn't know Conan is Shinichi and nobody knows KID resembles Kudo. Also English is not my native language, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes I might make.**

 ** _So without further delay…  
Please enjoy and review_**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Breaking point**

* * *

„Aoko hates this damned thief so much!" The girl shouted walking into the class and seeing her childhood friend snickering towards the article about yet another heist in the newspaper "Aoko doesn't get it Kaito, how can you support somebody like him! Aoko knows he's your fellow magician, but stealing is bad and he is constantly taking my dad away!"

"Well it's not his fault that your dad has an obsession." The boy chuckled, but dropped his smile seeing his friend in pain and got up from his desk to look her in the eyes "Something happened?" He murmured with concern.

She turned her gaze away "This heist… Dad was supposed to take Aoko on a trip this weekend. Aoko was looking forward to it and now it's ruined because of that thief again! I hate him so much!"

Kaito gasped, he did notice his friend was awfully cheerful lately "You didn't tell me…" He whispered.

She just shrugged "I didn't want to. Does it really matter? It wouldn't change a thing anyway…" She added looking away.

The magician bit his lip. Could he cancel the heist? It probably wouldn't change a thing now. Nakamori wouldn't believe it and still want to wait for him. Rushing it wouldn't help either, since after the event the police had paper work anyway… "Well it's not like KID knew about this either, so stop blaming him already. He probably has his reasons for doing those heists. He returns everything and all, so he is not bad." He pointed out with a grimace. He would give everything for Aoko to finally stop accusing him and drop her hate towards his other self.

"Well if he has problems he should ask the police for help, not humiliate them over and over again!" She huffed angered and slammed her backpack on her desk.

Kaito winced at that. And how was he going to tell his secret to the woman he loved, when she hated him so much..? And without that he wouldn't confess his feelings for her, although he knew she shared them. He signed heavily and sat back at his own desk, pretending he was going to get a nap. He didn't feel like pranking anyone at the moment.

* * *

Heist started on schedule, like it always had. None of the detectives were present this time and Nakamori was just as predictable as ever. But there was one thing Kaito didn't foresee. He didn't expect for Aoko to join in the fun. She did try a couple of times to steer their conversations at school to 'couples' topics, he knew she wanted to confess to him and he did his best to avoid the bullet once again. But after a week like that he did not feel like dealing with her as her hated nemesis. So he did what he could do probably best – he ran, trying to distract her at the same time. But he didn't love her just for her looks, she was smart, definitely smarter than her father. He only managed to slow her down, but eventually they both ended on the roof, breathing hard. Since he had a glider and she didn't it was his win, but she did give him a hard time, so he wanted to thank her for it. So he spoke, with his gallant tone, with tiny hope in his heart that she enjoyed the chase also, while jumping on the railing.

"You're not so easy to deceive Nakamori-chan. I'm impressed, but I do think it is high time to end the fun for tonight. Thank you for keeping me company~" He bowed gracefully towards her.

"Aoko hates you so much!" She screamed clenching her fists, while tears ran through her cheeks. She knew he would be gone in a few seconds and she could not do anything to stop him. And that he would come again "You take everything away from Aoko! Why can't you just stop?!" She finished with a loud sob, covering her eyes.

KID felt his heart clench. He never wanted to make her cry and it seemed that lately it was all he could do. He probably should leave, but there wasn't any police up here yet. He didn't force himself to hold up his grin anymore and spoke with soft, apologetic voice, not allowing any of his own sorrow to slip through "I'm sorry Ojo-san… I never wanted to separate you from your father… I-"

"It's not just dad you stupid thief! You even take Kaito away from Aoko!" She sobbed violently "He adores you so much that he doesn't even notice me anymore! When will you be satisfied and stop taking everything from me?!"

"Aoko…" He whispered, too quietly for her to hear.

From the corner of his eye he noticed movement on the roof of another building. He dashed towards his beloved, not wasting his breath for a shout. He managed to tackle her to the ground in the last moment, as the bullet shot through the air, knocking off his hat. There was nowhere to hide there behind, so he grabbed the struggling girl in his arms and ran towards the edge. As they were falling she managed to slap him in the face, knocking off the monocle. She gasped, frozen in his arms, the moment she recognized his face. His reddening cheek burned him, as they soared against the chilly wind. He didn't dare to look at her, trying hard to focus only on the flight.

"Kai-Kaito..? No, it can't be… Why are you disguising yourself as Kaito?!" She demanded, starting to struggle again.

"Ahoko! Stop moving so much or we'll fall you idiot!" He snapped at her, not bothering anymore with his 'KID' act and turned his gaze at her, continuing with a soft voice "It's really me Aoko… I'll… I'll explain you everything after we land, ok?"

"B-but…" She started stammering with wide eyes, plastered to his face and suddenly let out a scream.

Kaito felt a sharp pain cut through his hand and then something hot started running through it. He clenched his fingers on her clothes. He noticed the woman in his arms gasped for air and let out a bloodied cough. Red drops sinking in his white suit.

"Aoko!" He made a tight turn in the air, desperately trying to recall where the hospital was "Hold on! Everything is going to be fine. I'll get you to a hospital in a moment."

"Hurts… Kai-" She got cut off, by another violent cough.

He felt his throat clench and did his best not to let his voice shake "Shh… I know, Aoko, I know. Just don't talk. They'll fix you up in a moment." He clenched his hand harder, desperately hoping to stop the blood flow.

"I'm… cold…"

"Aoko… please don't talk…" He hugged her tighter, noticing bloodied bubbles forming on her mouth and hugging her tighter.

"Kaito… I lo-" Another cough stopped her words from coming and she closed her eyes in pain.

"You'll tell it to me when you get better you hear?! Now stop talking Ahoko!" He cried at her, seeing how pale she was. He shook her not hearing her breath anymore "Aoko? Aoko! Don't do this to me! I love you! You hear me? You still have to shout at me, so I can explain all this to you! Wake up!" Through tears he noticed the hospital lights finally and started descending "We're here Aoko! Hold on just a little more!"

He landed, nearly crashing into the front door and ran inside without folding his glider. He didn't care if anybody recognized him or not. Practically panicking he placed Aoko on a wheel bed and tried to follow the doctors who took her. Somebody grabbed his arm stopping him. He shouted at KID to get away and change his disguise. The door to the ER slammed shut after Aoko, so he just clenched his fists and dropped a smoke-bomb. He slipped through the ventilation shafts, quietly as if it was the most important heist ever, he sneaked over the operating room. He held his hands over his mouth hearing the flat-line screeching machine. But as hard as the medics tried, nothing seemed to be working and after long minutes they stopped, typing down the time of death… Still without making a sound Kaito let his tears drop, as a nurse placed a sheet over his beloved face. Once they left the room, he slipped from the shaft and stepped towards her.

"Ahoko… you… you were supposed to get better…" He whispered trying to overcome the clenching throat.

She didn't answer, nor move at that. He fell to his knees and searched for her hand and clenched his fingers over it. He sobbed silently, recalling all of their shared moments, regretting each time he dodged a confession.

"I love you Aoko… I love you so, so much… I never wanted to hurt you…" He cried.

He stood up and with shaking hand he slipped off the sheet from her face. He swallowed hard and with glove wet from his tears he started whipping her face of the blood stains. He closed his eyes and placed a kiss on her forehead. He didn't want to move when he heard noises outside. Somebody was coming, but did it matter..? But if he got caught he wouldn't be able to get to those who shot her… The moment the door opened he jumped and hid himself behind some machines. The man looked surprised at the uncovered body, but just shrugged and pulled the sheet over. He took the bed away, without looking around too much. Kaito lingered there a few moments longer before slipping into a costume and leaving the hospital, unnoticed.

The police shocked by the outcome didn't try to question the hospital staff well enough. The funeral was a few days later. For months later the newspapers lacked notices about KID heists.

* * *

"Shinichi… When will I be able to see you?" Ran asked quietly through the phone, biting her lip.

Conan, sitting in another room closed his eyes with pain and spoke through the bowtie "I don't know Ran… This case… It's just…" He hated it, he hated it so, so much.

"Can't you just drop it..? It's been nearly two years now…" She whispered dropping her shoulders "I want to see you Shinichi…"

"Ran… I'm sorry, I really want to, but I can't… I just…" He stopped, unable to find the right words.

"I understand…" She said with fake cheerfulness that pained him even more "But try and hurry it up, alright?"

"I will, I promise. So wait just a bit more..?" He asked feeling like a jerk.

"Yhm… Hope to see you soon…"

"Bye…"

She turned off the phone and sobbed silently. Conan peaked through the door, before closing them. He took out his phone and wrote a message to Haibara, asking again about the antidote. She wrote back for him to stop nagging her. He asked if she would give him the temporary one sometime soon at least. She declined, reminding him about his progressing resistance. He cursed silently and hid his phone. He didn't know if it could get any worse. Without saying anything he went out of the agency, tucking his hands in his pockets and with stare lowered on the ground. It was Saturday noon, so nobody was surprised seeing a young boy walking by himself. Nobody would stop him, so he could gather himself again.

After a while he heard excided voices, so he looked up. He was standing near a newspaper stand. First pages of them all were occupied, by the grinning white-clad magician. Conan smirked to himself. High time, the cocky thief was absent for half a year and the detective was starting to wonder if he would ever see that damned smirk again. And right when he needed a distraction. He bought a newspaper and gladly noticed that KID gave a riddle again. He sat in the part and started unraveling it. either the thief was losing his touch, or he wanted it to be this easy. It took only an hour for Conan to finish with the riddle, so in much better mood he took the paper and walked back to the agency, to see if Kogoro managed to solve it also and provide him tips, if he didn't.

The heist was a week later. It wasn't exactly easy to be able to participate in it for Conan, but he somehow managed it. To his surprise he noticed that the atmosphere was different from what he remembered. Everyone used to be restless, but cheerful before the heist. Now there was a lot of tension in the air, but the joy was somehow missing. The officers were talking in whispered voices, careful not to be overheard. Just before the event started Shinichi noticed that the source of it was Nakamori-keibu himself. Instead of acting like the usual maniac, he was quiet and professional. It was then when the detective recalled a rumor that his daughter died sometime ago. Shinichi felt for the inspector, but never were close to him, so he didn't try to pry on the details of it.

* * *

KID showed up right on time and was jumped at, before he could greet his Task Force. His cheerful laughter filled the building, as varied colored bombs exploded filling the air with smoke. The kaitou was like a ghost, leading the officers, just to disappear from their sight. Conan managed to stay on the thief's tail until they entered a room on a high floor with an open window. Shinichi smirked seeing that, knowing that the game was over and opened his mouth to speak to KID, who just jumped out of the window, without saying his usual goodbyes. And that was all. Conan frowned and unleashed his soccer ball, kicking it hard after the escaping thief. He managed to graze his glider, but didn't feel satisfied with it.

Shinichi frowned and walked over to the window. He wondered what could have happened. Until the end KID was acting like himself, tossing teases in response to the officers' shouts, doing his skillful magic, looking as all-knowing and all-mighty as ever. Conan tucked his hands in his pockets after finishing his investigation in the room and finding nothing out of ordinary. He felt somehow cheated, but wasn't going to pout over it. he left the officers to gather the evidence and joined Ran and Sonoko, who were waiting outside. The Suzuki heiress was as cheerful as ever for catching a glimpse of her long lost idol, as they were walking away from the heist scene.

"I was beginning to think something horrible must have happened to KID-sama! But finally he returned! If only he would notice me~!"

"Sonoko!" Ran whined grimacing "I thought you've already gotten over him. Aren't you engaged with Kyogoku -kun?"

"Yeah, yeah, you worry too much Ran. Makoto has accepted already my devotion to KID-sama, so he doesn't mind~"

Conan let out a dry smile 'Or rather he had no choice in that matter' He thought to himself, but said nothing. He certainly did not envy the karate champion this situation.

Unwillingly they let Sonoko chatter about how KID was amazing. When she got to her triangle dreams Ran decided to stop her yapping, scolding her for talking about stuff like that around a child. Shinichi simply felt his headache growing. Silently he started feeling sorry not only for Makoto, but also the thief, if he ever got caught, by this maniac. Or any other, since KID had a lot of fans, there were probably more madwoman and men among them.

* * *

KID's escape has been nagging Shinichi, so he started his investigation asking around and digging through the previous heist, before the break. To his terror he finally discovered that Nakamori's daughter was killed during the heist and it seemed that KID was the one to get her to the hospital. There was an investigation, regarding the thief's involvement in her death, with him as prime suspect, but soon the case was closed, without reveling any facts. Nakamori-keibu was forced to take a four month long vacation 'to calm down and grieve', probably because he did not want to leave the matter drop. A few officers, who were also stubborn were not so fortunate and gotten themselves dismissed. There was something horribly wrong going on and Conan decided to get to the bottom of this. But it meant he had to get the thief to talk to him. He doubted him being the culprit, but he was most likely a witness.

Later that evening Ran called again his Shinichi number and asked him when would she be able to see him. Somehow his thoughts about the mystery around the thief have scattered for the night.


End file.
